An Honorable Man
by hullosweetpea
Summary: If anyone was going to tell her about John Hamish Watson, it would be Sherlock. After all, John will be telling her all about Sherlock as she grows and if there is one thing Sherlock wants her to know is that John is an honorable man.


**A/N: I got this idea while working on another Sherlock story that is still in the refrigerator in the Jell-O metaphor. I hope you all enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: Moffat & Gatiss, with a bit of me**

An Honorable Man

Sherlock blew gently across his teacup, small swirls of steam still rising from it. He took a sip before placing it back on the saucer, the cling of china on china loud in the quiet apartment. He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He brought his closed hands up to his face, pondering deeply. He stared at the chair across from his before speaking.

"I'm sure you would like to know more about John Watson." He paused. "I assume that is one of the reasons why you are here." He lowered his legs back down to the floor, but kept his fingertip-to-fingertip hands just under his nose.

"If there is one thing you need to know about him is that he is a stubborn man, somewhat set in his ways. Now I know he may have told you otherwise, but he will never break his habit of craving danger."

He stopped and gestured to himself. "I mean, look at me. I'm Sherlock Holmes.

But getting serious here, it is probably his stubbornness that makes him such an amazing person. He's loyal to a fault, reliable, courageous-" Sherlock scoffed. "I'm making him sound like a dog. That's not the point. John Watson is one of the best people in the world because he has qualities that you and I both know I don't have or care to have. It's not in my nature.

He'll take risks when no one else will. He never almost never let's you down, but when he does you will realize you really shouldn't be doing the thing you asked him to do with you. I'll have to tell you the story about the Jelly Babies one day.

But most of all John is an honorable man. You may not be able to see that now. You may not in five years. Ten, fifteen, perhaps twenty depending on your attitude. But when you do you will realize why I respect him so much, why Mary loves him and why he loves you. Beyond the obvious of course, how could he not love you?

John has shot people, been kidnapped, reminded me of humanity, set fires, heard the hounds, watched me fall, waited two years, punched me when I deserved it, shaved that God awful mustache-you should hope he never does that again; I'll spare you the details: it was horrible-saved men's lives, kept his cool, and stood by me every step of the way.

What I'm trying to say is that you should consider yourself lucky to have such an honorable man like John to be your father."

Sherlock looked across at the baby sleeping in John's chair; a small smile tugging on her lips.

Sherlock picked his teacup make up and took a sip. "But of course you won't remember any of this, so it will stay our little secret. Right, Sophia?"

Sophia opened up her little brown eyes and started to wail. Sherlock picked up the baby and tried to rock her, the small child still crying. He looked bewildered down at the child and began to pace the room with her in his arms. "Um...what was it that John said to do. Ugh!" He pulled out his phone and pressed one on speed dial. "John, your child won't shut up."

He heard a sigh over the phone. "Sherlock, we're coming up the stairs right now. Just wait a minute." He hung up on Sherlock.

With a scoff, he threw his phone on the couch and tried to gently bounce the child up and down. "Sophia, stop being so irrational. Your daddy and mummy are coming."

The door to the living room opened and Mary and John came in. "There you are, please stop your child's crying. It's a bit annoying."

John took Sophia from Sherlock's arms and smiled down at the baby, who almost instantly calmed down. "Were you driving Uncle Locky mad? It's okay; he does that to me all the time. When you're older you'll get to hear a lot of stories."

Sherlock frowned and crossed his arms. "Do not teach her to call me Uncle Locky."

Mary placed an arm on John's shoulder and turned towards Sherlock. "I doubt it if she will be able to pronounce your name when she first starts to talk."

"If she tries she could."

Mary smiled at Sherlock and patted his arm. "Ahh, you'll learn soon enough dear that children will do whatever they want." She turned back to John. "We'll need to go love."

John looked up from his little girl and looked at his wife. "We do, this one here needs a check up." He tickled Sophia's belly and she gurgled. "Bye, Sherlock."

He nodded and sat back down. "Of course, bye John."

-o-O-o-

"Uncle Locky!"

Sherlock turned around and was immediately tackled by the small blonde who barely reached his waist to wrap her arms around him. "Can you tell me a story 'bout you and Daddy."

He smiled and sat her in John's chair before he returned to his own. "I've already told you all of the stories I know."

"I know, but I like to hear the one about the honorable man."

Sherlock smiled. "I don't need to tell you that one. You have it memorized."

Sophia frowned. "I know, but I don't know what comes after punching you."

"Shaving his mustache."

"Oh yeah! And then there's saving men's lives and keeping his cool and standing by you." She got up from the chair and crawled into Sherlock's lap. "But what's so important about standing by you. Mummy stands by him all the time when we wait for cabs."

"That's not what it means. It means never leaving."

The child's face lit up. "Oh. So does that mean you're honorable too."

"No, I'm far from it."

"But you stay with my daddy when you go on cases."

"Sophia, there are many stories for when you are older and I can assure you I'm not honorable in any of them."

"You idiot of course you are."

Sherlock and Sophia turned to see John in the doorway. "Daddy!" She jumped out of the chair and hugged John's legs.

He picked her up and held her close. "Now what do you say?"

"Bye-Bye Uncle Locky!"

He looked over at John and saw his huge grin before addressing Sophia. "Good bye to you too."

The happy duo started to descend down the stairs and it was then that Sherlock understood that a man could be honorable in more than one way and just maybe he was.


End file.
